Michael McGrath (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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699. To ask the Minister for Health the number of children currently on a waiting list for orthodontic assessment and for orthodontic treatment in Cork City and County; the steps being made by the Health Service Executive to reduce these waiting lists; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32608/14]

Kathleen Lynch (Cork North Central, Labour)
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The HSE provides orthodontic treatment to those who have been assessed and referred for treatment before their 16th birthday. It should be noted that the nature of orthodontic care means that immediate treatment is not always desirable. It is estimated that in up to 5% of cases it is necessary to wait for further growth to take place before treatment commences. Patients are assessed by the HSE Orthodontic Service under the modified Index of Treatment Need. Patients with the greatest level of need are provided with treatment by the HSE. Information on waiting times is collated by the HSE by region and for the intervals as shown below. Cork City and County are part of the HSE South region. The most recent information relates to the first quarter of 2014.

HSE South

The HSE is aware of the need to address orthodontic waiting times and commissioned an independent national review of orthodontic services to give guidance as to what changes will be desirable. The review has now been completed. The key issue highlighted by the review, which has assessed services nationally, is that the Orthodontic Service should be fully integrated within the Primary Care Service. This is under consideration by the HSE to be implemented as part of the HSE's reform programme. In addition, an initiative to reduce waiting times through the provision of additional services is currently being explored by the HSE.